Skylark Book

Once again, work stress has me writing this nearly a week after finishing it. Which means many of the details have faded. Fortunately, this is one in a long series and it's one you'll have a richer appreciation for if you've read the others. Which will give you enough to know what to expect. Stephen Ball has been present in a lot of the previous books as the MP they can count on to know the legalities and work the political/legal side of the situations the Rogues find themselves in. I've been hoping he'd get his own book and this didn't disappoint.

And I liked Laura as a match for him. She's bright and determined and a good foil for his inquisitive mind. Beverley illustrates their compatibility even as she displays the necessary differences that add spice to their relationship. I particularly like that she'll act as a lightening influence and pull him into society more, even as she can keep up with his serious pursuits. It's a good match, is what I'm trying to say.

It wasn't without frustrations in the plot, however. As with other supposedly smart Beverley protagonists, it seemed like they took forever to investigate what seemed to me to be obvious possibilities and pursue leads and question assumptions that seemed likely to provide forward momentum. That's what smart people do. It doesn't help, of course, that I saw the main reveal coming from the moment we met the relevant characters. Indeed, I kept looking for confirming evidence one way or another and the biggest tell that I was right was the lack of observations or details that would have been conclusive one way or another. Which felt like the author deliberately hiding things even though she was careful not to actually cheat.

Which makes this a solid four stars for the excellent protagonists and relationship in the romance.

A note about Steamy: This was average for the author and genre, but I don't remember an exact count. I was worried at one point that one of them would use sex as a manipulation to force the other's hand (because I could see the temptation), but that turned out extremely well and ended up illustrating the strength of the relationship rather than undermining it.